Retrospective analysis of clinical pathological findings in obstruction of lower urinary pathways in cats

Abstract

Diseases of the lower urinary pathways with urethral obstruction are frequent urological conditions demanding urgent treatment that lead to the occurrence of post renal azotemia due to difficult or disabled urine elimination. The aim of these investigations was to establish the most frequent causes for the occurrence of obstructions of the lower urinary pathways in cats, the most frequent clinical signs, as well as the changes in the hematological and biochemical blood and urine parameters. The obtained results indicate that the most frequent cause of urethral obstruction in cats is the presence of urethra stones, sand, and urethra plugs caused by the aggregation of struvite crystals on organic matrix. The laboratory findings showed that all animals were dehydrated, azotemia was established in half the animals, and signs of uremia were evident in 10% cats. Over 90% cats had disrupted tubular function, and only 50% had clear laboratory signs of inflammation. It can be concluded from the presented results that all cats with urethra obstruction exhibit a certain degree of disrupted kidney function, which is, in most cases, a reversible pathological change when treated with timely and adequate therapy. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 175061]

Keywords

• cat
• urethra obstruction
• azotemia